British Isles Cruise | Scotland

October 25, 2018

Happy Thursday from soggy Dallas! Just when we thought the sun was finally here to stay, the downpour started again! Our backyard is literally a pond, and I’m thisclose to building an Ark! The pups are in even more distress, since they refuse to go outside to potty. Actually, that distresses me since I’m constantly worried about finding a ‘surprise’ on the rug!

Today I’m wrapping up the recaps from our British Isles cruise with Princess, and it’s all about Scotland. With nine ports on the 12-day trip, there was a lot to see! Usually, my Trip Reports are comprehensive guides of where we stayed, and what we did and ate…but these are mostly just what we were able to see in a day! To see more pics and how the full itinerary flowed, check this post for Week 1 and this one for Week 2.

Glasgow, Scotland

It was a gray, drizzly day in Glasgow, which only lent to the mystical, Harry Potter vibe of this bustling city. We wandered the streets by foot and Uber, taking in the Victorian and art nouveau architecture. We stayed warm and dry by taking refuge in the cutest cafe, Kember Jones, and Champagne Central.

Excursion: We booked ‘Glasgow On Your Own’ through Princess Cruises, and they provided the round-trip bus shuttle from the ship to city center (about 30 minutes).

Orkney Islands & Kirkwall, Scotland

The Orkney Islands are the northern most part of Scotland, and completely remote. Our half-day excursion stopped at the Cliffs of Yesnaby and the Standing Stones of Stenness, both of which left us speechless…and instantly smitten with the Scottish coastline.

Once back in Kirkwall (the port city), we wandered the little village and had a delicious lunch…and more scones.

Highlights:

Dunrobin Castle (Invergordon), Scotland

Invergordon has a slew of different excursions and sites to choose from, but we opted for one of the grandest castles in Scotland. Dunrobin Castle is one of Britain’s oldest continuously inhabited houses, dating back to the early 1300s.

The grounds and rooms are impeccably maintained, and even has a delicious cafe with amazing baked goods. Mr. SP’s day was made when they allowed him to play the Steinway grand piano.

Excursion: We booked ‘Dunrobin Castle’ via Princess Cruises, and it included the 45-minute bus ride, plus small group entry in the castle.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh has been at the top of my list for years, and it did not disappoint! The surprisingly hilly city is elegant and medieval, and compact enough to navigate on foot (and the occasional Uber if you’re pressed for time!). Sadly though, my camera and phone batteries died early in the day, so the memories will have to stay in my mind. Or perhaps we’ll just have to go back, because this city has so much to offer!

Excursion: We booked ‘Edinburgh on Your Own’ via Princess Cruises, and they provided bus shuttle to and from the city center.

Highlights:

We’ve learned there’s no way to see everything in a day, so we try to balance seeing as much as we can, with actually enjoying the vibe of each city. That’s the perk of cruising…the opportunity to visit so many places, but only having to unpack once!

Some stops we add to our list to return, and others are perfect for a day visit. There are so many cruise itineraries available…you can literally cruise around the world! #bucketlist And I’d 100% recommend any of them with Princess Cruises…they are literally like the Ritz Carlton of the seas!

I hope my recaps gave you a glimpse at the beauty of the British Isles, and the fun of cruising with Princess! What is your bucket list cruise itinerary?

Comments

Grrrrreat pics!
We too have had some nonstop rains/flooding. So bad, they are having flood control conventions in our county-big sigh. New reality, floods, not if, but when. Noah! We need u!
Is that Beethoven or Chopin at the piano??

Now I need to get back to Scotland! We flew into Glasgow, but didn’t explore the city. We did spend several days in Edinburgh, and want to go back. We didn’t make it to any of the other spots you did, but would happily visit them!

Now I really want to go to Scotland! I pinned that blue wall of books; so clever.

Regarding your Niagara like rain fall, have you considered pee pads? Check your local pet supply store. They may have them or other suggestions. Good luck with that. I’d hate to find “surprises” but I understand your dogs refusing to go outside too.

Warning about pee pads, C. Don’t get the scented ones, that attract pee’ers to pee there. Well, it’s sort of complicated. I adopted a pee pad trained rescue. She’ll pee in the pad spot regardless if I put a pee pad there or not. It’s tricky. I would start w/unscented ones if you can find them. Wish I had a better solution for you. Can they both just do their business by the side of the house next to the door in bad weather?? I put mulch down for that.
Accidents happen, big sigh.

Hi Cassie,
We are avid cruisers (and have been on several sponsored cruises as well) Your pictures are beyond beautiful, but I am not sure why you are linking your fashion choices when you are reviewing your itinerary? I totally get this is a fashion blog, but I think when readers come here for travel advice, you could, perhaps, add more details. Just listing the excursion is not that helpful. Maybe how do excursions work? Can you meet your group on the pier? Do you get extra time after the excursion? Are food and drink provided? Those kind of things…As part of the #Princessfamily, I think you need a little more of them and little less of you. Sorry if that is harsh, but it is, hopefully, helpful. I have been asked to critique these reviews; so, I am just giving you the heads up.
Your blog is nothing short of incredible for fashion!

Hi Cate! I mentioned in my post that this isn’t a typical trip report for me (where I always include travel tips, where to stay & eat, what to do, etc). Given that we a day in each of these ports, I’m only able to report on what we did during that time. I listed the exact excursion, and shared what we were able to see and do on that excursion (which in many cases, was just exploring a city ‘on our own’). I also linked our full Travel Diary, which breaks down the trip day by day.

As for the fashion, I link that for those who like to use these posts for packing tips! My most-asked questions are always ‘what to pack and wear?’ in each of these places! So hopefully between all the posts, I answer the majority of the questions and they’re helpful to those looking to book their own cruise! I’m beyond honored to be in my fourth year as a Princess ambassador! xo. C